Moonlight: Part Two
by fallingstars68
Summary: The road to healing is often fraught with sorrow - but even the most broken deserve a happy ending. Nightfall-verse. Leah/?
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is! Part two - finally. Chapter one is a repeat of the last chapter of Nightfall, but features an alternate ending and builds from there. Enjoy!**

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**ONE  
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My hatred of the girl pulsed inside of me like a heartbeat, ebbing and flowing with the current of Jacob's thoughts, churning up and angry current each time he lingered on his memories of their time together.

It was hell, I thought to myself. Sometimes I even wondered if staying in Sam's pack would have been the best option for me. But then I looked at him, and something deep down inside me would stir, reaching out to him, admitting that it wanted him, that it _needed _him even if I would not do so myself.

It was what lead me here, standing in a thicket of trees on the outer edge of the vampires' property, staring at the reflection of the glass wall at the back of their home, my senses invaded by their sickeningly sweet smell that lingered even here.

I thought hard at _her_ mate, almost shouting in my head until I saw movement at the glass wall that spanned the entirety of the back of their home, and I spied his copper hair glinting in the reflected moonlight. His body was unnaturally still, even as he glared hard at me with those glittering ocher eyes. It is no longer unnerved me, but instead disgusted me beyond reason.

_Send her out!_ I snapped in my thoughts. _I need to talk to her - now_.

He shook his head in a nearly imperceptible movement that my wolf eyes caught nearly instantly.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. _I won't hurt her, _I thought, keeping my thoughts mostly neutral and letting only a hint of annoyance trickle through. His eyes narrowed at me, and I could practically feel him sifting through my thoughts, searching for nefarious purposes.

I could practically feel the moment when he found what he was looking for, sense his satisfaction as he, too, thought that she needed to distance herself from Jacob - for both of their good.

Still, he was reluctant to let her go, and I heard them have a small argument in whispered tones before I heard the creak of the girl's frail bones as he helped her stand.

I met her on the front porch, keeping my face impassive and my thoughts neutral as he helped her out of the house. Her rounded belly dwarfed her frail form, looking as though it was consuming her from the inside out.

Based on what I'd seen in Jacob's thoughts, I knew I wasn't far off.

Her vampire hovered behind her, looking equally protective and enamoured as he helped her down the steps. I quelled my rage deep in the hidden part of her mind that she knew he could not reach, anger churning in her stomach at the thought of how undeserving this woman was to be having a child with that monster out of the blue. The emptiness my sudden and unwanted infertility had left behind flared within me, and knowing I could neither have a child nor know the earth shattering love of imprinting.

"Come," I said simply before turning and walking off into the trees, knowing she would follow at her slow and painfully human pace. I could hear the struggled breaths she took as she hobbled under the weight of her child, all the while hearing the soft rustle of her shirt as she rubbed a loving hand over the swell of her middle.

The child was sucking her life away, but it was sucking away Jacob's, too. When would she ever stop _taking _from us?

She hobbled behind me into the trees as I led her deeper into the forest and away from the Cullens' hearing. Once I was satisfied with our distance, I rounded on her.

She recoiled at my expression, looking every bit the wounded child. So pathetic.

"You're a cunning, bitch, you know?" I laughed, the sound coming out sharp and harsh.

"I… I don't understand," she said quietly, her voice almost a whimper.

"What, don't you understand, _Isabella_?" I said her name as if it were a curse word, and she recoiled as though she'd understood that, too.

"Why do you hate me so much? What did I...what did I do to you?"

"You ruined my fucking life!" I screamed. I could feel my body shaking, ready to phase at any moment if I didn't get myself under control. "And you sit here and dare to wonder _why_ I hate you?"

"I don't under-"

"You don't understand?!" I stared at her incredulously. "How could you be so fucking _selfish_ and _idiotic _that you don't understand?"

"I didn't-"

"You did everything!" My voice rose again, and I took deep breaths in order to calm myself. "_You. Did. Everything_," I seethed.

She stood there, frightened, clutching her swollen belly with her weakened fingers.

"If your darling husband and his coven hadn't come back, my baby brother wouldn't have phased. _I _wouldn't have phased," I said, straining to keep my voice straight as the next words came. "Do you know why my father died? Because he had a heart attack when I started phasing. I never needed to phase. I wasn't supposed to phase. _But I did_."

She opened and closed her mouth like a mentally deranged fish, at a loss for words. Her eyes shone with tears as I went on, but I paid them no mind as I continued.

"I phased, and it broke my family. My mother hasn't been the same since my dad died. She's a miserable ball of anxiety if we disappear for even a few minutes longer than we told her we would be gone for. When we went into battle because of the vampires that _you_ caused to come here, she almost had a heart attack, too.

"But what kills me - what _really_ kills me - is that you had no idea the hurt you were causing us. You just went on flaunting your love around town, not giving a damn who saw. Do you even care about what you've done to Jacob?" I felt my heart rate rising again along with my temper as I spat out the last words. I no longer cared to mask my feelings for him. To hell with her if she knew - I hoped it would hurt her even more.

"You're dying, and he's dying, too. He's still so in love with you that he's willing to do anything for you even though you're married to another man and carrying his..._creature_...inside of you!"

A small animal skittered off into the trees just beyond her, startled by the noise. She didn't even notice. I scoffed again, marvelling at how this small, weak human had managed to get all these supernatural creatures wrapped around her tiny little finger.

"I'm so sorry, Leah," she whispered once she realized my rant was over.

"No amount of your bullshit apologies could ever replace what you've cost me," I knew the words burned as if I'd slapped her. Good.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen, it just...did," she whispered. Sometime during my rant, she'd braced herself against a tree, breathing heavily under the strain of the child she carried.

"I didn't mean for your cursed clusterfuck of a life to come in and ruin mine, either, but somehow _it just did_."

She started crying openly then, smoothing her hands over her rounded stomach anxiously. "If I could take it all back, I would," she sobbed.

I thought of Sue and her father and the connection they had likely permanently forged between our families. "I hope it kills you," I said anyway, knowing the words would hit the hardest exactly where I wanted them to.

She gasped, slapping her hand over her mouth and muffling her sobs. She turned and walked off then, and I didn't stop her. There would be a time and place for guilt and regret, but it was nowhere near here and now.

* * *

_What did you say to her, Leah? _Jacob asked later, his tone hard, visions of her broken expression flitting through his mind.

_The truth, _I replied simply, keeping my mind carefully blank and devoid of any hint of our conversation.

_Dammit, Leah, you _know _that now isn't the time!_

_And when will it be the time? _I growled, prowling through the underbrush even though I knew our threat had long since given up. Sam's pack had been strangely silent for some time now, but Jacob still had us on high alert, not wanting to risk any danger.

_I don't know...it's just...things are complicated right now. You know they are. _Jacob patrolled in an area opposite mine, and I could tell that things were quiet on his end, too.

_Has it ever been _my _time, Jacob? _

_Leah, we've all had things going on, and-_

_I asked you a question! _

_And you know that I don't know the answer, _he replied solemnly.

_So what then? _

_We do our duties. Continue doing our duties, as we've always done before. We have to protect… _Jacob trailed off.

_We have to protect what, exactly? The tribe? Is that what you were going to say? We both know damn well that isn't true. We're protecting the woman you love and her undead posse because _you _decided that we need to._

_It isn't just that, _Jacob replied. _It's so much more than that, I just… I can't explain it, I…_

_Yes, you can. You're protecting her because you still love her. _

_I don't… I do, and I don't, Leah. _His words were laced with exhaustion.

_You hate that child, _I shot back. _As much as I do_.

_I hate what it's doing to her, that creature is unnatural and evil and everything I'm against, but it's still somehow killing the woman I love...d, _he stumbled over the word, his lack of clarity on the issue evident in his emotions. _With my whole heart, Leah. I can't just let her go. _

_You could, Jake, if you'd just let yourself. _

_I can't explain it, Leah… I thought I was over her, but even now, seeing her face just makes me want to get closer to her, protect her…_

I didn't answer this time, and instead kept prowling aimlessly, protecting those I loathed the most. I carefully pushed down all the thoughts I knew I couldn't unload on Jacob. Not here, not now, especially when Seth could phase at any moment.

_I gave him the night off, _Jacob answered my unspoken question as I let thoughts of Seth flit through my mind.

I scoffed internally, the sound coming out as a harsh bark that startled away a deer that had been grazing peacefully nearby. _So you force me to do this with you after everything?_

_You know it's not about that. _

_Then why am I still here?_

_Because I need you, Leah, _I realized that he'd been making his way towards me throughout our conversation, and now heard him approaching, although he was still a ways off. His thoughts changed directions then, veering off to a discussion we'd never had, and I'd always doubted we ever would.

_Go away, Jake, _I wondered if wolves could get headaches. _We can't have this conversation now._

_When, then? _It felt like he was throwing my own words back at me.

_I don't know, Jake,_ I felt my apprehension growing as he moved closer, disturbing the creatures of the night as his large wolf form moved through the trees. _Not now. _Maybe not ever.

_So we're just going to pretend that it never happened? _

We'd never broached the subject before, instead always waking up and dressing quietly before going about our days, carrying on as normally as possible. We'd so often taken refuge in each others' bodies under the cover of night, yet this evening I felt more bare in front of him than I ever had.

_We shoul-_

_Do you regret it? _I rushed out, cutting him off before I could find out if he was going to say "should" or "shouldn't".

_Leah, I…_

_Do you regret it, Jacob? _I asked, my tone harder. I tried to see through the jumble of thoughts that flew through his mind before he carefully concealed them, stopping as I caught a flash of my naked body writhing underneath his.

_Don't ask me to say that I regret it, _he said, finally stepping into my line of sight.

I stared at him, guarded and confused. What did he want? What did this mean?

_It shouldn't have happened, _he continued. My heart stopped. _But I don't regret that it did._

_What are you even saying, Jake? You either regret it or you don't. _

_I-_

_You do. _The realization stung as I read his conflicted thoughts.

_I don't know, I-_

_Don't you dare stand there and lie to me Jacob! _Not here, not like this.

_I didn't mean it like that, I just-_

_You just what? You meant it. You regret it. _Shouldn't I be regretting it, too? I felt the pain, anger, and confusion I'd felt after all those times we'd slept together curling in the pit of my stomach.

_You regret it, too, Leah, _he replied solemnly. _I can feel it._

_What _I _regret, _I snapped back angrily, _Is how I felt afterwards. Not..not that._

_What do you mean, afterwards? _

_I mean when you'd just leave me! Are you that dense?_

Jacob cocked his head at me in response.

_You're kidding me, Jake._

_Wasn't that what you wanted? You _made _me leave half the time!_

I wanted to throw up my hands in exasperation, but settled for snarling at him instead. _You're kidding, right? Of _course _it's every woman's dream to see the man she just had sex with sneak out of the room!_

_You know I never meant it like that, though._

_Does what we meant ever really matter? _

_This is complicated, Leah. It's always been complicated, you know that, it's not like...was there ever really another option?_

Although it was a truth I didn't want to confront, his words still felt like a cold slap across the face.

_What you mean, _my words were carried by the intense anger growing within me, white hot as I threw it at Jacob. _Is that _I _was never an option. _His rejection burned through me, and I knew that if I had been in my human form I would have felt the telltale sting of hot, angry tears gathering at the back of my eyes.

_I didn't mean to hurt you like this, you know I didn't. _His pain and sadness in reaction to my own tumultuous emotions radiated toward me, drowning me.

_Then why did you?! Why?! Why is it always me?_ I phased, buckling under the intensity of our combined emotions.

I stalked forward as he phased, too, starting to slap and punch him in the chest as soon as he was within reach. He winced in pain at the onslaught of the full force use of my strength on his otherwise near-invincible body.

"You don't deserve this," he whispered over and over. "You don't deserve me."

Eventually, I stopped, leaning into him and breathing heavily into his chest. "Then why do I still want you, Jacob?" I whispered, looking up at him.

Even though we'd both shot up to borderline unnatural heights when we'd phased, he somehow still towered over me. I trailed a hand over his chest, marveling at how he'd managed to get bigger even after he'd officially taken his position as alpha.

I looked into his eyes, somehow still twinkling with sincerity. I slid my hand up to his cheek, strengthening my resolve. Tonight, I would be the one taking from him. Tonight, it was my turn. I strengthened my resolve and tugged at his face, indicating what I wanted, surprised to find no resistance. I dragged him down and kissed him deeply, pulling him down to the forest floor with me.

* * *

We awoke to the soft grey light of a typically foggy morning. I lay wrapped in Jacob's arms, making no move to untangle myself. We were covered in a light layer of morning dew, and I watched as the droplets quickly evaporated from the combined heat of our intertwined forms.

I felt a soft kiss press into my hair from behind and realized that Jacob was awake, too. I shifted slightly then froze, knowing that this was the moment when one of us usually sprang up and left, acting as though our coupling had never happened. Instead, however, I felt him tighten his arms around me as he pressed another kiss to the nape of my neck.

"Leave with me," the words tumbled out before I could stop them, and I held my breath for his inevitable rejection.

I twisted in his arms until I faced him, at once desperate to look into his eyes while also being fearful of what I would find there. This was it, the moment I had pictured countless times in my head since he had left. My heart was racing an even quicker staccato than usual, and I shivered as he curved a hand up the skin of my side, skimming gently across my skin until it rested just over my heart. My skin felt aflame under his touch, and I could not help the way I instinctively arched into him, desperate to relish in these last vestiges of his touch before he would inevitably pull away and leave me forever, broken and alone.

He searched my eyes for what felt like an eternity, and I swore I could see my heartbreak reflected in them.

"Okay."

My heart skipped as I processed what he'd said. I searched his eyes as deeply as he had mine only moments prior, still trapped in his arms. "Okay?"

His eyes shone with the same sincerity they'd had before. He simply nodded before leaning down to kiss me deeply. He drew back and kissed my head, breathing deeply in my hair.

We stayed like that for some time, kissing lazily before making love once more. It was bliss, peaceful bliss, and I felt myself sinking deeper into him with every heated touch, never wanting to lose this moment. Never wanting to lose _him_, as I knew now without a doubt that I could not survive it.

By the time we stood up, it was late morning.

"Tonight," he spoke first, answering my unspoken question. "Say goodbye to Sue first."

"And Seth?" I asked softly.

Jacob hesitated a moment. "He'll be fine. He's free now - he can do whatever he wants."

I nodded slowly as we started towards where we'd left our spare clothes, which was unfortunately near the Cullen residence.

The closer we got, the heavier my steps felt as my next question hovered behind my lips, unspoken as well. Jacob grabbed my hand and squeezed it, then laced his fingers through mine.

"I'm not going to...she'll understand," he said quietly. "I can't protect her anymore." His words ached with finality and loss, and I squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"Where do we start? I asked. It was daunting, looking up at him and knowing that he was _mine _now. Imprint or not, he would be mine - completely - for whatever duration of time the universe decided to give us. Even if it wasn't forever, it would be enough.

An excited giggle erupted from me at this, and he looked over at me quizzically. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I reveled in the feeling - I finally was okay. "Yeah, I...I'm just... _happy_." The word felt oddly foreign on my tongue, as though I was forming the sound for the first time.

Happy, as though-

A blood curdling scream interrupted our thoughts. The scream was followed by the sound of bones cracking and grinding against each other. I looked up to find Jacob's face contorted in horror.

It was _her_. I gripped him tighter for a moment before pulling away.

"Go to her," the words felt difficult to let out, yet I managed. I couldn't be selfish anymore.

He grabbed my hand again suddenly tugged me forward with him. "Come," he pleaded quietly. His eyes shone with fear and tears, and I knew I couldn't deny him.

"Okay," I tried a reassuring smile before he tugged me forward again, jogging the rest of the way to the Cullen home.

The stench of blood drifted toward us as we reached the edge of the property, causing Jacob to burst into a sprint. Panicked voices could be heard inside, and I knew it wasn't good.

What if she was dead? My gut twisted uncomfortably as I recalled the last words I'd spoken to her. I'd hated her, told her she was a monster. Maybe I was a monster, too.

My feet were heavy as I dragged them up the steps, the scent of blood overwhelming my senses. I was positive - she was dead. No human could have survived this carnage.

The door stood ajar, likely from Jacob's entrance. There were large, bloody footprints leading up to the second floor, where the chaos seemed centered. Even if she hadn't died yet, she was definitely dying. Could they change her in time? Would they?

My eyes drifted on the carnage in the room, from the large puddles of blood to the equally bloodied clothes that lay strewn about, their efforts at ebbing the flow clearly having been fruitless.

In the middle of it all stood the blonde female, cooing carefully at the bundle of cloth swaddled in her arms. It shifted, and I caught a glimpse of what lay within it. The baby was stunning, as gorgeous of a creature as its counterparts. She already had a healthy swath of glowing copper hair, and large brown eyes that shone in the light. Her cheeks were tinged with color, somehow pointing to a bit of humanity although I knew that it was no such thing. Its eyes locked on mine, and I stood, transfixed, feeling as though it could see directly through me, reading my discomfort.

My trance was broken suddenly by the sound of heavy footsteps descending the stairs. Jacob. He moved slowly by deliberately, his large hands bloodied equally as badly as his bare feet. His eyes were fixed on the bundle in the blonde's arms, which had turned back to snuggle gently against the vampire's chest.

Jacob's eyes were filled with a rage that looked so cold and murderous that I gasped. His eyes snapped to me for a moment as the realization of what was about to occur dawned on me. An inferno of rage glowed within them, devoid of the gentle kindness I had grown so accustomed to.

I reached out to him, knowing my face was contorted in horror. _No, _I mouthed, shaking my head at him. _Don't do it_.

I knew he registered my words, but he still turned away from me, too focused on his goal and consumed by the anger within him.

He stalked towards the baby, each step reverberating in my ears as I knew he had steadfastly committed himself to what he was about to do.

"Jake!" I cried out. This time, the blonde's head snapped up to him. She bared her teeth hissing at him as the child bundled in her arms began to fuss.

"Come with me Jake, please," I pleaded, knowing my words would fall on deaf ears.

He snarled back at the vampire, continuing to approach the baby.

"Jake!" I begged, grabbing his arm. "Jacob, _please_." My voice was laced with a level of desperation that was achingly raw, yet I found no place in my heart to feel any embarrassment at it. Instead, all I saw was him, and the tension in his stance as he stood rigidly between the demon child and I.

I grabbed at his chin, knowing my efforts would be fruitless yet desperately trying to force him to look at me all the same.

"Please," I begged again. Still, he did not turn, his blackened gaze still focused on the baby in the vampire's arms before us.

It finally peeked its little head out again, and the world stopped.

Later, I would remember the look in his eyes as he saw it, the way the Jacob I knew had ceased to exist and had been reborn in a split second. Reborn as a new man, whose sole purpose in life was to exist for it - for _her_.

Later, I would run through the million scenarios where we wouldn't have to have come back this way, where we would have run off right away and left it all, hurt feelings be damned.

In that moment though, all that I could register in my mind was the feeling of my barely-mended heart somehow managing to tear in two again. It felt like a fresh onslaught of physical pain, and it drew me to my knees.

I'd lost him.

* * *

It's ironic how the next place we meet is the same place where, only days before, we'd decided to run away together. My heart thumped in pain with the memories this place held, deepening the anger I felt towards him.

"Let me go." I was surprised by how steady my voice despite the pain it was laced with.

"Okay," he responded simply, his voice tinged with sadness. I refused to look at him, looking anywhere and everywhere else. The wildlife continued to exist blissfully around me, happily unaware of the ocean of sorrow that raged in its midst.

I turned to walk away, feeling his eyes on my back. I made it to where the tree line hit the grass before I turned around.

"I love you," The words hung uselessly on the air. I couldn't recall why I'd said them in the first place.

"I loved you, too," he whispered back.

My heart shattered for a second time as I turned and ran.

* * *

**A _very_ different ending, obviously - can't wait to see what you guys think so far. This fic does feature a pairing, although I won't reveal it yet - I wonder if you guys will figure it out beforehand? :)  
**


	2. Chapter 2

****For those who asked - yes, the ending that happened in chapter one of this fic was the original ending. Who's ready for the new pairing reveal? :D **Thanks so much to my beta - I love you! **

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**CHAPTER TWO  
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I ran for hours before I caught the scent of someone following me. Something, more specifically. A vampire. It kept its distance, approaching slowly but steadily behind me. I sped up, and sensed it speeding up with me. I didn't want to fight, not like this, but it seemed that I would have to. I turned and bounded towards my follower, snarling.

It was the pixie.

She slowed as I come into view, holding something out gently in front of her. "Don't run," she said in her liting voice, "I thought you might need these."

I stood, staring hard at her, all the while saying nothing. She tossed it between us, and I saw that it was a black duffle bag, wrapped in a plastic bag. After a long pause, I approached it and sniffed it, pawing at the plastic.

"I didn't want my scent to get all over your things," the small vampire explained, toying with her short hair in a fashion that would have struck me as nervousness if it wasn't for her perfect grace. _My things?_

I ripped the plastic off the bag with my teeth, then pawed carefully at the bag's zipper until its contents were revealed to me. I saw clothes, a few pairs of shoes - almost all seemed entirely too fashionable and borderline impractical - among various documents and… stacks of cash. A few other things jingled at the bottom of the bag, but I looked up at her questioningly before phasing quickly.

"What is this, bloodsucker?"

"Before you reject it, just think about it. You'll need it, please." Her voice was soft, and she spoke as though she was treading on very thin ice.

"And why the hell would you want to help me?" I spat.

"When we realized that Jacob's pack was protecting us, we... made some arrangements for you...Cullen-style," she added with a small smile. "This is yours. Truly."

I scowled down at the bag, then back at her.

"Just take it, please. If you want to leave, you're going to need everything in there."

I continued scowling as I picked through the rest of the bag's contents. Passports, ID's, several sets of keys for cars, as well as mystery ones for other things. It really did have everything I knew I'd need, although my pride continued to hold me back from taking it and running away.

"Just think of it as a thank you gift. Go anywhere - do anything." She smiled again before turning and bounding off.

Sighing, I phased again and grabbed the bag in my muzzle, heading somewhere - anywhere - but here.

* * *

The shrill ring of my phone forced me to lean over and answer it, despite the fact that I'd ignored the previous three rings.

"Mom, I'm trying to-"

"It's me, Leah." His voice was as warm and soft as always, and I felt a lump rise immediately to my throat as I drank it in. It's been months, yet it's felt like years since I'd last heard the voice that made my insides twist so painfully - outside of my dreams, at least. I twist in the creaky motel bed as I sit up, and I know he hears it.

"Leah, please," he sounded like he needed me, and it almost drew me in. But I knew better than to believe he could ever _need _me like that.

"No," I said instead of the million things my heart yearned to let out.

"She's in danger, please, I know it's not right, not like this, but please, I'm begging-"

"If you know it's not right then why are you asking?" My voice is a mix of anger and exhaustion, and I knew he could feel it through the line.

"Don't ever call me again."

"Leah, plea-"

"And don't you _dare_ try and command me." I hung up before he could get out another word.

* * *

A few weeks later, I went back anyway.

* * *

It was night time by the time I finally pulled down the last stretch of highway that leads to Forks. Although I'd used the supplies that the pixie vampire had given me sparingly and not without a healthy dose of apprehension, I had to admit that this sleek sports car that I was tearing down the highway in was a blessing. The little town of Forks soon flew by me, and I debated whether or not I should just continue down to La Push. I knew I needed to see him sooner or later, and I didn't know if later would be the right option.

Sighing, I made the last minute decision to flip around and head to the Cullen household where I knew that Seth would most likely currently be. Unlike me, he had taken to the home very well and enjoyed his time spent among the Cullen clan and the many food and entertainment offerings they provided for him.

I soon began approaching where the long drive that led to the Cullen household would appear, and was struck by the sense that there was something incredibly wrong. It was the smell - the intense, sickeningly sweet smell of vampire. _Too many_ vampires. Panic began to override my senses as I slammed the car to a halt just before the entrance to their hidden drive. What the hell was going on?

As if on cue, the glove compartment of my car begin to ring. I started for a moment, before hissing in annoyance as I pried the compartment open to find yet another cell phone, which the Cullens seemed fond of hiding everywhere.

I answered it quickly an excuse on my lips when the person on the other line spoke. "Leah, it's me," the pixie - Alice - said quickly.

I sighed loudly. She'd been slipping my mother the number of every cell phone they'd had hidden in their many, many properties and vehicles since I'd left, despite my protests for privacy and space. Even when I'd checked into motel rooms using cash, the phone had somehow always ended up ringing off the hook in the middle of the night.

"Don't freak out," she added before I could hang up on her. "We had a...situation. It's over now, but some of our guests are still here."

"How many?" I asked.

"A...few," she glossed over the subject. "You can keep the car, by the way."

"Thanks, but no," I said quickly, frowning at how accustomed I had become to the lavish lifestyle of the Cullens after only a few short months. I traced a finger along the steering wheel of the sports car I was driving sadly, knowing I would likely never drive something this grand again.

"Well, it's yours anyway, and it'll be here for whenever you want it," she continued casually. "Also, while we're on the topic of _things_, your mother and I may have done a small revamp to your closet."

"What the fu-" My curses fell on deaf ears as the line went dead. I sighed, wondering what else I had missed while gone besides Sue's newfound companionship with the bloodsuckers.

I pulled up to the house a minute later, and was surprised by the eerie calamity outside the Cullens' sprawling home. I felt sick as the stench of vampire overwhelmed my senses, clogging the fresh air around me. I made my way up the stairs to their porch, cursing silently at the loud clicking noise my heels made before slipping them off and chucking them into a nearby bush. When, exactly, had I become _that_ girl?

Shaking off my discomfort, I opened the door to find a dozen sets of eyes on me immediately. I recoiled, instantly recognizing that not all of these were the same ochre that I was used to seeing on the Cullen family. Many glowed a dull red, signaling that they'd been feeding on human blood. I hissed back at them, darting my eyes around the room and counting the number of vampires that occupied the space. It was too many, even for me.

My standoff was interrupted by a beaming Seth, who barreled into me, hugging me tightly. "Welcome back," he whispered happily into my hair. I finally managed to tear my eyes away from the dozen vampires that watched me carefully, and hugged him back just as tightly.

"You've been okay? I asked quietly, knowing that my use of discretion was fruitless considering that all of us possessed supernatural hearing.

"I've been more than okay, actually," he said happily gesturing towards the television. As it were, there was a fresh spread of food laying out on the coffee table, which happened to include all of Seth's favorite dishes. My stomach rumbled involuntarily at the scent of the food, which somehow managed to drift its way over to my nose, despite the overwhelming stench that otherwise invaded my senses.

Seth laughed before pulling me over to the kitchen where another array of food laid out carefully across the countertops, resembling a buffet that one would see on a cooking channel more than something inside someone's home. I scoffed and rolled my eyes at the display, knowing that vampires _never_ did anything halfway.

Seth handed me a tall glass of what looked like lemonade but faded into a gradient of yellows, and oranges and reds. I sipped it, cursing inwardly at the fact that I couldn't deny that it was delicious. Yep, perfection - as always.

I popped a few random food items in my mouth as Seth began to prattle on about all of the hospitality the Cullens had given him while I had been gone, before delving into the events of the past month that I had decided to skip out on. My heart skipped as he explained the showdown that had almost occurred, and I felt a lump rising in my throat as I realize that my little brother might not be standing in front of me right now and I had selfishly decided not to return.

Seth sensed my discomfort immediately and walked over to rub my shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay, Leah," he said quietly. "I understand. We all understand. I... I'm sorry that you had to go through this again," he added hesitantly.

My eyes widened as I realized the implication of his words. "You don't mean-?"

Seth scoffed. "I'm not that daft," he muttered, turning back to the food. "You really think I didn't know? I can be discreet, too, I'll have you know. You guys aren't the only ones who learned how to maintain your privacy while part of a wolf pack."

I opened my mouth to pry out what other secrets my little brother has been keeping before closing it quickly knowing that it wasn't the time, not with countless prying ears all around us.

"We'll finish this later," I said warningly instead, as I walked out of the room, in search of Alice.

Instead, I saw the girl. She was the size of a small child now, and her bronze hair flowed in beautiful ringlets down her back. Her face was even more stunning than the blonde vampire, and it made my heart twist as I shrunk back from her beauty. She stood happily in the living room, casually holding the hand of unnamed bloodsuckers. It made my skin crawl.

She smiled up at me beatifically, and waved. "Hello, Leah_,"_ she said sweetly, her voice as angelic as her face.

I couldn't help but turn my face up in disgust, cringing down at the child. Before I could open my mouth to return her greeting however, another, more familiar, figure flitted down the stairs behind her.

I wondered if I would ever be this relieved to see another vampire again. "Hi Alice," I said casually, hoping my relief hadn't leaked into my voice.

"Welcome!" She said happily, looking as though she wanted to come over and hug me before deciding against it. "You look lovely," she said instead, smiling happily at the dress I wore.

I thumbed the mini dress I wore awkwardly, refusing to admit that it's delicate silk fabric felt heavenly against my skin. "How nice of you to join us," I said sarcastically.

"Oh! I should introduce you." She turned two words the other occupants in the room, starting to rattle off introductions. Most of the other vampires continued to stare at me, unmoving and unabashedly, eyes trailing after my every move. A couple of the females got up to play with the child - and Seth - picking up a ball and tossing it around with her. I shuddered.

"I'm good," I said, turning for the door. "I just stopped by to see Seth, so I'm off now." I tried to ignore the child's curious stare boring into my back as she stopped playing to watch me, and marched determinedly for the door.

I wrenched it open, and there he stood. "Leah," he said, his voice pained.

I could still feel the eyes of the other vampires in the room on my back, and I stepped out, closing the door behind me. "Not here." I nodded towards the forest, and we walked for a long while, until I stopped a turned to him.

"Anything you have to say at this point really doesn't matter anymore, Jake," I said, my voice devoid of emotion.

"I know, Leah," he said. "I know, but I want to say it anyway."

I scoffed, looking off into the distance. My eyes were dry, and although my heart still panged, it was nowhere near as bad as it had the first time I'd had my heart broken. I almost laughed at the absurd convenience of it.

"I might not be able to… want you in that way anymore, but it doesn't mean that I don't remember it. It doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt me to know that I hurt you," he said sadly.

"Tell me something I don't know," I snapped back, recalling the torture of Sam's simultaneous regret and love for Emily.

"Leah," he begged.

"Let's just put it behind us," I asked him, turning away. "It's basically like it never happened in your mind already anyway, isn't it?"

"You know it's not like that, Leah," he said, reaching out to touch my arm gently.

I snatched my arm away. "Well, pretend like it is, Jake," I threw over my shoulder as I walked off in a random direction.

"Leah-" he called after me, following me. He stopped short with me as I spied a vampire watching us from a short ways away. She was olive-skinned, unlike the Cullens, but had unmistakably burgundy eyes.

"Mind your business, bitch," I snapped at her. She snarled back at me in response, stepping forward.

"Don't try me," I snapped, stepping forward as well.

"Leah, don't, she's with us," Jake tried to pull me away, and I shook him off again.

"You know, I don't really give a damn today," I snarled back at her, glaring as she continued to hiss at me. Her long, braided hair fell over her shoulder as she crouched forward in warning.

"Do not attack, Leah," Jake said firmly. I whipped my head around to glare at him.

"Wow, Jake," I crossed my arms angrily. "You're really gonna command me?"

"I'm sorry, but we really can't afford a confrontation now, not like this."

"Since when were you on their si-" I stopped short, cursing my momentary memory lapse. Since _her_, of course.

With a final hiss, the bitchy vampire took off in the direction of the Cullen house, leaving us alone again.

I looked at the dark sky above, twinkling with the light of a thousand stars. The trees swayed gently around us as a small breeze danced through their leaves. I looked up at Jacob, at his eyes searching me, as if looking for the cracks of the broken parts of me that he could draw back together and mend them.

"There's nothing you can do Jake," I said, reaching out to cup his jaw. I'd missed this, and I wished desperately that he would lean into the touch as he had before, and kiss me, pretending that none of this had happened.

But I stepped back, and the moment was gone. I turned and phased, taking off into the forest and towards my new normal.

* * *

I sat down quietly at on a rock a short ways away, watching the wedding festivities unfold. It was a full moon tonight, bathing the beach in a soft glow that complimented the torches that had been erected around the tables and dance floor. Music and laughter drifted towards me, along with the clicking of shoes on the makeshift dance floor they'd set up. My own glittering heels dangled from my fingers, and I pulled my bare toes through the sand, enjoying the feeling.

I watched as Sam and Emily stared happily into each others' eyes, dancing close as if the rest of their guests had faded away behind them. The looks in their eyes could only be described as magic. His free hand moved to clutch her and dip her into a kiss, his fingers dancing lovingly over the exposed skin of her back. He trailed happy kisses along her scarred face and she melted into him as he drew her upright. It made my heart fill with longing, especially when Sam trailed a hand down to her abdomen to smooth it over the bump that was well defined by Emily's simple satin dress.

My own dress was made of a similar slinky satin material in a deep red color, that was slit high up my thigh and low in the front. I looked up to find Kim approaching, wearing an identical dress to mine that billowed slightly in the wind, exposing skin up to her thigh. Unlike me, she looked slightly more demure than I did due to her flatter chest, it's low dip complimenting her bronzed skin instead of spilling out her chest.

"Hi, Leah," she said shyly, twiddling her fingers awkwardly. "Can I sit?"

I moved over wordlessly, training my eyes on the ocean that crashed in the distance instead of on her.

She sat quietly with me for a long while, smiling to herself as she watched the antics of the other pack members at the reception.

"It was a beautiful wedding, wasn't it?" she said, peeking over at me.

"It was," I admitted. Despite my annoyance with Emily's slightly scandalous bridesmaid dress choices, I had to admit that the ceremony and reception had gone off beautifully.

She reached out to tuck a stray strand of my hair behind my ear, and I flinched at the contact.

"Sorry," she blushed. "It's so pretty," she added quietly.

"My hair?" I snorted, looking at her incredulously.

She laughed softly. "Honestly?" she waved at hand at me. "All of you is… pretty much perfect, Leah. I feel like a child in this dress compared to you."

"You're kidding, right? I look like a pornstar," I deadpanned.

She giggled at that. "Leah, you look like a model," she said seriously. "At pretty much all times."

I continued to stare at her, dumbfounded. It had been so long since I'd last gotten a compliment from...anyone, really.

"I barely wanted to be a bridesmaid knowing I'd have to stand there next to someone who looks like you!" she said with a moan, reading the expression on a face.

"Jared thinks you look like a goddess no matter what you wear," I reminded her.

At that she beamed, her insecure expression melting away as her eyes driften over to where sat at the reception, sipping a drink. He looked up as if sensing her, his face melting into an equally enamored expression. She waved at him happily, and he waved back until Claire began tugging at his leg, reaching up to show him a seashell she had picked up.

"I love him so much," she said wistfully. "Every day feels like a dream with him, it's-" she stopped short, slapping a hand over her mouth as she looked at me, eyes wide.

"It's fine," I said automatically, attempting a small smile.

"I didn't mean-"

"It really is fine," I said again. "I'm over Sam," I said truthfully, grateful she had no clue about Jake.

"Was it hard?" she asked, timid again. "I mean, being here… doing this…"

"No," I said, hoping she'd believe the honesty in my voice. Being here, as in in La Push? Yes. Being here at the wedding? No. Easy white lies had started falling from my lips so easily these days that I almost couldn't tell the difference anymore. "Not anymore," I added in a whisper.

"You can love, too," she reassured me quietly.

Could I? Among all this all-encompassing, supernatural love that I had to face all day, every day, a regular romance felt cheap and pale in comparison. The absolute devotion that half the pack was tethered to was suffocating, and filled me with equal amounts of longing and heartbreak.

I stood up suddenly, brushing off my dress. "I have to go," I said, already walking off. I heard Kim call out me, but I ignored her, speeding up until I was well away from the festivities.

I wandered the empty beach, deep into the darker, more secluded areas that were shaded over by the cliffs to the point of near complete darkness. I heard the giggles of a young couple in the darkness nearby, wondering briefly if they were wedding guests. I kept walking, further and further, until I was in the forest, taking off at a run. I didn't phase, instead enjoying the feeling of the twigs and dead leaves crunching under my feet. I whipped past the trees, feeling them bend and fold at my whim as my momentum whipped them away from me. The trees thinned abruptly as I found myself standing in a small clearing, filled with flowers in soft, muted blues and purples. The moon and stars shone bright overhead, giving the small stream an almost iridescent glow. I sat down and laid back in the grass, uncaring of how the grass would damage my clothing.

It felt amazing to steal moments like this, just myself and my own thoughts in nature. I basked in the silence, save for the quiet swaying of the grass and foliage around me. I fingered the soft petals of the flower nearest to me, mindful of my supernatural strength contrasted against the fragile flower.

Could I ever feel whole while dating, knowing that any love I could gain for a man would pale in comparison to what I knew I could feel? I pinched the petal off the flower and crushed it between my fingers. Could I manage, knowing that love less than an imprint could end in heartbreak? Could I endure a cycle of that, until I could control my phasing?

My mouth felt dry as I contemplated my future, eventually aging alone as the packs' families expanded, and they grew old surrounded by love and happiness. Jacob would continue to phase for as long as he could, thriving in immortality with his undead mate. The rest would die eventually. Did I want to die, too? Could I stay alive in vain, hoping searching-

I snapped up to a standing position as I heard the unmistakable sound of...someone, _something _approaching. It was crashing through the underbrush, less graceful than a leech, but somehow with unmistakably supernatural speed. A slightly stronger gust of wind blew towards me from the direction it was approaching from, and it made me freeze in the crouch I had adopted.

The smell was heavenly. I inhaled deeply, sighing into the scent as I wished desperately for another gust of wind to push it forth again. My throat felt dry as I felt it drawing closer, and I willed my frozen limbs to let me phase. It was of no use - I was intoxicated by this...creature, whatever it was. I wondered for a moment if this was how humans felt in the presence of vampire. I felt a wave of sympathy rise within me at this, swallowing dryly.

It drew closer, and I made out its outline in the forest, approaching quickly. Something in me relaxed, as if my body knew before my mind that somehow, some way, this thing was safe, and wouldn't hurt me.

When it hit finally a patch of light near the edge of the clearing, my heart stopped.

He was stunning. His skin was a rich, dark chocolate, and he wore his hair in long braids. He had a sharp, defined jaw, and I was surprised to see a smattering of stubble across it, as if it had grown in that morning. His softly almond-shaped eyes were a warm teak, shining with flecks of gold. He studied me quizzically as he approached, and I noted his height that, while not towering over mine, was still significantly taller than me.

He was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

* * *

**I love every review you guys leave for me. Also, thank you to the person who pointed out that I forgot to tag characters - my bad!**


	3. Chapter 3

**It's been entirely too long and I'm so sorry for the wait. This fic isn't abandoned at all - thank you guys for your patience with me. 3**

* * *

**THREE **

"Hello," his accented voice was like silk, honey, velvet, _heaven _… I stood gaping at him as he paused tentatively in front of me, unaware of the chaos going on in my head. My world continued to unwravel and reframe itself around this man — this one beautiful, _beautiful _man — and the force and feeling of it took my breath away.

If I could even call him a man. I could hear his fluttering heartbeat, yet his stance was shrouded in a distinct inhumanity. My heart raced with fear as we continued to stand there in silence — partially because of what was happening, and partially because I didn't know if I'd be able to handle it if he left now.

"I…" Finally, my limbs began to unfreeze, and I found myself leaning over into an awkward position, fidgeting constantly. My eyes had never left his, and he continued to look at me curiously.

"Are you alright?" he asked, stepping closer. I never wanted him to stop speaking again. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. Another breeze sent his scent drifting towards me, and I inhaled sharply again, desperately trying to commit every bit of him to memory.

"You're one of the wolves, aren't you?" he asked again, stepping closer. "So fascinating…" HIs eyes swept over my body slowly, and I suddenly felt conscious of the tattered state my dress must have been in from my run. Did I have to meet him here? Like_ this _?

"What's your name?" I finally rushed out, desperate to know. I needed to know anything, _everything _about him, and starting there would at least be enough.

"I am Nahuel," he said, smiling softly.

I knew I needed to say something, _anything _at all to keep that beatific smile from slipping off of his face, yet I was simultaneously at a loss for words as I marveled in its perfection.

"Nahuel," I breathed instead, knowing my world would now revolve around the name.

We stood watching each other for what felt like an eternity — me with unabashed reverence, and him with a curious cock of his head.

There was a rustle behind us before I heard Seth's voice behind me. "Leah, what's going on? Are you okay?" I heard his footsteps stop as he took in the scene in front of him.

"Oh, hi, Nahuel," he said cheerfully. "He's one of the nicer ones —_ so be nice back _," he added in a low hiss.

I almost laughed at that. Seth still stood behind me, oblivious to the way my universe continued to anchor itself around the man before me.

"Is she alright?" Nahuel asked Seth instead, having clearly reached the conclusion that he wouldn't be getting any coherent answers out of me.

"I mean, she seems fine, she left the wedding a little early but…" Seth paused as he sidled up beside me. "Wait, wait—" I caught him whipping his head back and forth between us in his peripheral vision, the realization of what he was witnessing dawning on him.

"Holy shit," I couldn't move to even scold him for his language, as he had only voiced what was going on in my head. _Holy shit, indeed _.

"I need to get Jake, we need to… oh man I dunno, we need to do something, I—" he tugged on my arm. "Come with me, Leah."

I hissed at him instead. It felt as though I was having an out of body experience, as if even if the sky started raining fire I would not be able to unroot myself for this exact spot. Not if _he _didn't move.

"Should I… find help?" Nahuel stepped closer, his eyes searching mine.

"I—" Even the most basic of words couldn't make it past my lips. He was intoxicating, robbing me of any coherent thought as I tried to piece myself back together in the face of his perfection.

"Leah?" Nahuel asked softly. "Are you alright?" My heart jumped as he said my name, and it felt almost as though I was unworthy of hearing it slip past his lips.

"I'm okay," I finally whispered.

"Riiight," Seth said, tugging on my arm again. "Let's_ go _," he urged. He tugged harder this time and I stumbled away with him, my heart clenching painfully with each step I took away from _him _. I craned my neck around as much as I could as Seth pulled me away, staring until we were out of sight.

The pain of separation was indescribable. "Seth!" I cried out, attempting to pull away. "I can't, I need to go back, it hurts, it hurts _so _bad, Seth—" How had I descended into this caricature of a whiny child so quickly?

"I know, Leah, I know," Seth said. "I hear you. Let's just… figure this out first, okay?" He phased, beckoning me to follow before trotting off into the trees.

My feet remained planted where they were, incapable of moving anywhere but back in the direction where I could still feel soft notes of Nahuel's scent drifting from.

The sound of Seth phasing back registered somewhere in my subconscious. "Leah!"

Seth's voice by my ear would have startled me more had I not been focused on the man my feet had already started carrying me back toward.

"Leah, please," Seth begged, gripping my arm. "We'll come back to him, I promise— you just need to come with me, only for a bit."

This time, my snarl was louder.

_Where did you find her? _Embry was asking as I phased.

_Holy. Shit, _Quil interjected as they saw a recap of what Seth had witnessed and my dazed reaction flitting through his mind.

_Yeah, holy shit indeed, _Had Seth always cursed like this? I managed to deviate my thoughts from _him _for a split second as I contemplated my little brother's potty mouth.

That's_ what matters to you now? Wow, _Seth shot back.

_What even _is _the issue? _I was so, so very irritated, and I needed to get back to Nahuel. Now. I needed to learn everything about him—

_He's a hybrid, like Renesmee, _Seth answered. _But he's venomous… none of this makes any sense, _he added worriedly.

I stopped dead in my tracks. _What do you mean, venomous? Hybrid—? _

_Well, he is a vampire…? _Seth mused.

I froze, feeling my world start to tilt on its axis. _He's a— _But even as the question started to form in my mind, my thoughts connected and barrelled past the denials that I desperately tried to spring up in its place. But the undeniable truth was nearly screaming at me from their minds as they thought of him among the horde of vampires that had come to kill the girl—

And yet all I could feel was pain blossoming in my heart as I thought of the battle that they'd barely managed to stop.

He could have died, and I never would have known this feeling—

He was a vampire.

Vampire.

Vampire.

Vampire.

I didn't register Seth's distress until he bounded up before me. _Leah— _

I ignored Seth and tore off through the thick forest, my heart jerking and spasming as I tried to come to terms with the way my world had shattered and re-formed itself only to shatter once again.

* * *

It was only minutes before I was stumbling past the tree line and into the yard. There was a low throbbing pain in my chest that blossomed further with each step I took — each step I took away from him, something whispered to me deep inside. I needed to get away. To try in vain to sort out the reeling feelings that clouded me further with every step I took, trying to drag me back to him.

I only made it to the couch.

My conscious rejection was slowly morphing into physical agony, burning through me as I moved away from the man that had now become my everything. Not a man — a vampire.

A shudder tore through my body as I curled in on myself and let the rejection burn through me.

I had to endure.


End file.
